Dr Derek Ball

Role:

Scottish Section Secretary

Organisation:

University of Aberdeen

Term in Office ends:

2022

Derek Ball is currently the Head of Sport Science at the University of Aberdeen. He returned to Aberdeen after a 14-year gap to lead the undergraduate program in Sport related degrees and to lead on the relationship between the Aberdeen Sport Village and University in providing support for elite performers as well as encouraging sports participation for the student population. Between 2006 and 2016 he was based at Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh) where he was Director of the post-graduate degree in Human Health and Disease (2014-2016) and the undergraduate degree programs in Sport and Exercise Science (2010-2014). Following his undergraduate degree in Sport Science, Derek developed an interest in nutrition when completing his doctoral training with Professor Ron Maughan focussing on the effects of dietary manipulation on acid-base balance and neuromuscular performance in humans.

After post-doctoral positions at University of St Andrews and Manchester Metropolitan University he returned to Aberdeen University as a lecturer in Exercise Biochemistry (2002-2005) when he continued his interests into the metabolic control of substrates during exercise using acetate as a vehicle to perturb carbohydrate and fat catabolism. Derek made a brief move outside of academia and into the Ministry of Defence as a scientific adviser, he returned to academia in 2006. He continues to have an interest in the interaction between diet, exercise, physical activity and metabolic health.